A sample testing system includes a test receptacle support structure, an optical element positioned for transmitting electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by a sample disposed in a test receptacle supported by the test receptacle support structure, a cleaning member, and an automated transport arm configured to (i) detachably couple the cleaning member, (ii) move the detachably-coupled cleaning member into a position proximate to and/or contacting the optical element, and (iii) decouple the cleaning member.

A sample pretreatment system is equipped with a pipetting device for pipetting multiple primary samples to make multiple aliquot samples. The sample volume expected to be held in a test tube is set as a minimum guaranteed volume for each type of test tube; and a minimum guaranteed volume value is set for each type of the test tubes. A cumulative totaling unit adds up cumulatively the aliquot volumes of the aliquot samples based on pipetting request information with regard to the supplied test tubes. A reading unit reads the minimum guaranteed volume of the supplied test tube; and an aliquot sample preparation unit compares the minimum guaranteed volume successively with the cumulative total values of the aliquot volumes of the aliquot samples, and causes a pipetting device to pipette a maximum number of the aliquot samples in a manner not exceeding the minimum guaranteed volume.

Provided is an operation command generation device configured to generate an operation command, which is a collection of jobs to be carried out by a process system including a robot based on a protocol chart including a process symbol representing a process to be carried out on a container containing a process subject, the operation command generation device including: a process job generation unit configured to generate, based on the process symbol, a job for causing the process system to carry out the process on the container at a work area; and a transfer job generation unit configured to generate, when the process represented by the process symbol is not a process to be carried out on the same container, a job to transfer the container from the work area to a retreat area after the process represented by the process symbol has been carried out.

A system and mclhod for allocating processing resources in an automated laboratory system configured with processing units at which one or more activities are performed using one or more processing resources arc provided. A scheduler component received receiving at least one order reciuiring Ihe execulion of one or more protocols on (he automated laboratory system. The scheduler generates one or more optimisation problem instances and utilizes the optimisation nrohlcm instances lo generate the schedule of aclivitics for (he automated laboratory system. The scheduler causes the implementation of the generating schedule such that the activities can be performed according to desired protocol steps.

In an analyzing system including a commanding unit for sending a command and an executing unit for executing a processing upon receiving the command, a processing instruction may not be executed at the right time due to a heavy traffic of information and other factors. In order to solve this problem, in a preparative separation system 1 according to the present invention, a PC 20 provides the execution time for starting/finishing the fractionation processing to a controller 18. Therefore, even in the case where the time of the PC 20 and that of the controller 18 are not synchronized, the controller 18 can accurately set the execution time for starting/finishing the fractionation in a preparative separation unit 16. A piping 17 may be placed so that the traveling time of sample components is sufficiently larger than the delay time of signals due to the signal transfer lag and other reasons. This can absorb the delay time, allowing the units to cooperate with each other at a correct timing.

An automatic analyzer achieves both restraining unnecessary usage of a consumable supply and reducing burdens on an operator in a re-execution processing in a case where pipe functions are suspended/stopped, and is capable of completely efficiently performing an analysis preparation processing or an analysis terminating processing. In the automatic analyzer, a storage unit stores information on pipe functions, and information on re-execution setting for setting a re-execution maintenance item from which re-execution is started with respect to a suspended maintenance item if pipe functions of a plurality of maintenance items are suspended halfway, and a computer sequentially executes the plurality of maintenance items, based on the information on pipe functions, and re-executes maintenance from the re-execution maintenance item associated with a suspended maintenance item, based on the suspended maintenance item and the information on re-execution setting, if the pipe functions of the plurality of maintenance items are suspended halfway.

The present invention provides a processing device with a high degree of flexibility in setting of preprocessing and which is capable of increasing the preprocessing efficiency, and an analysis system provided with the same. Setting receiving means (84d) receives, for each sample, setting of a plurality of types of preprocessing and a parameter for each preprocessing. A preprocessing execution section (84e) controls a plurality of preprocessing sections and a transport arm (24) so that a plurality of types of preprocessing set for each of different samples is performed simultaneously in parallel. The preprocessing execution section (84e) performs control in such a way that preprocessing is not to be performed on different samples at the same preprocessing section at the same.

An automated analyzer is offered which can dilute an analyte repeatedly without contamination due to carry-over and thus can yield reliable analysis results. The analyzer has an analyte turntable for holding analyte containers in which analyte is stored, a dilution turntable for holding dilution containers for storing a diluent, a dilution probe for aliquotting a liquid between two containers held on these two turntables, respectively, a diluent vessel for storing a diluent, and a diluent supply mechanism for supplying the diluent into the diluent vessel. The dilution probe has a function of aliquotting the diluent stored in the diluent vessel into the dilution containers held on the dilution turntable. The diluent vessel has a diluent discharging mechanism for discharging the diluent from inside the diluent vessel.

An online HPLC dissolution test system includes a dissolution tester and a liquid chromatograph. An autosampler of the liquid chromatograph includes at least one flow vial, a sampling needle and an injection port. The flow vial is connected to the dissolution tester via a pipe and is for storing a sample solution supplied from the dissolution tester therein. The sampling needle is for collecting the sample solution by sucking from the flow vial. The injection port is for injecting the sample solution from the sampling needle into the analysis channel. The controller of the liquid chromatograph includes an immediate analyzing execution part configured to cause the autosampler to execute immediate analyzing operation for sucking the sample solution in the flow vial with the sampling needle and directly injecting the sample solution into the injection port when the sample solution is supplied from the dissolution tester to the flow vial.

The fluid temperature within piping of a sample dispensing system is stabilized in order to maintain stable dispensing performance with high precision in an automatic analyzer. A controller executes a first operation sequence to operate the sample dispensing system in a standby state continued until the sample is transported to the sample dispensing position, and executes a second operation sequence to operate the sample dispensing system in an analysis state in which the sample located in the sample dispensing position is dispensed. A time period during interior cleaning performed on the sample probe in a single cycle of the first operation sequence is set to be shorter than a time period during interior cleaning performed on the sample probe in a single cycle of the second operation sequence. Alternatively, the first operation sequence is configured to perform interior cleaning at a rate of once every multiple of cycles.